Can for varnish or like materials.



PATENT' FFICE.

isAAc wfDRUMM'oND, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

' CAN Foa vARNlsH O'R LIKE MATERIALS.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 651,345, dated Tune 12, 1906.

Application filed December 18, 1899. Serial No. 740,626. (No model.)

To all whom/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC W. DRUMMOND, a citizen of the United States, and a residentof New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cans for Varnish or Like Materials, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l illustrates a perspective view of a square can embodying my invention. Fig. 2 illustrates a vertical sectional view taken on a substantially-central line through Fig. 1 and somewhat enlarged. Fig. 3 is an end view of the invention, showing the cover of the can opened and partly broken away to show the brush and its support on the inside of the can. Fig. 4 is a top view, with the cover removed, of a cylindrical can embodying my invention.

As varnish-cans have heretofore been made they have had a top or cover soldered rigidly to the can, with a handle soldered to the outside of the cover, and an ordinary funnelshaped spout closed with a cork or equivalent stopper. To use the contents of the can, it has been necessary to find some other receptacle into which the material can be poured or else cut off the top of the can. Both of these methods have been resorted to, and when the can itself has been used as the vessel to contain the material while applying it it has been necessary to supply it with some sort of a bail whereby it canbe handled by the painter, and those who apply such material to the spars or rigging of vessels have sometimes cut oft the top of the can, then punched holes in the four corners of the can, if square, near the upper edge thereof, through which ropes or cords have been passed, crossing each other at about the vertical center of the can, thus forming a sort of rope bail or handle. All this is bothersome, time-taking, and inconvenient. Also, with spar-varnish and similar goods used very extensively by yachtsmen and ship-owners on the masts and spars of their vessels in order that the cans may be carried aloft it has been necessary to rig some sort of a sling by which they can be attached to the so-called boatswains chair in which the user is hoisted aloft or to his body or clothing if he asc-ends the rigging, so that both hands may be free. Since the only available means for thus su pporting the receptacle is to put a cord or piece clothing of the user, because it is almost impossible for 'a man to go aloft under these circumstances without the can striking against ropes, blocks, spars, or other things, which almost invariably tilt it and spill the contents.

My invention has for its object to do away with these inconveniences and to furnish a can specially adapted to use aboard ship or in other cases where similar incidents arise-n as, for instance, by painters on ladders and the like.

Obviously the invention is adapted to re ceptacles containing material other than varnish-*for instance, oil, paint, &c. Therefore there is no limitation in this case to the use of my invention for varnishes only.

A illustrates the body of an ordinary square varnish-can.

B is the cover, which is hinged, as at C,(see Fig. 3,) to one side of the can in such manner that it maybe swung backwardly, as indicated by broken lines, and continue its swinging movement until its top. lies fiat against the side of the can, so that it will not have a lateral projection, as such covers usually have, which'would be in the way.

D is a hasp which may be beneticiallyemployed to hold the cover closed. Beneath the cover is a plate of metal E, which I prefer to make of taggers tin, so that it may be easily cut out the full size of the top ofthe can by a knife or similar instrument. In the center or at other desired part of the taggers-tin plate there is a filling-hole closed with a disk F, soldered in place, as usual.

At the ends or sides of the can, as may be preferred, and preferably at or near the upper edge, I solder or otherwise attach ears Gr,

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to which are connected, by rings or equivalent means, bailwires I-I. They are preferably made as shown in the drawings-that is to say, coming together at their central portion and diverging therefrom to right and left and connecting with the ears G by means of the rings, as shown. To one ot' these wires II, (the left-hand one as shown in Figs. l and 2,) I connect a transverse bar I, likewise made of wire, in the center of which I form a ring or loop J, with a ring or eye at the free end thereof,(marked K,) and to the other wire II, I attach an ordinary snap-hook or equivalent device L, adapted to connect with the eye K.

The operation is as follows: Before the spring-snap or equivalent hook device L is engaged with the eye K the two sets of bailwires, as above described, are folded back to right and left and hang down by the sides of the can. Thereupon the cover B is tipped over backwardly, and the taggers-tin plate E having been soldered in place the can may be filled, the sealing-disk F soldered in its place, and the cover B closed over again and fastened by the hasp D. The package is then com plete and may be transported in substantially the same manneras ordinarycans. At the time of use the cover is opened, the taggers-tin plate cut out, andthe cover closed again. The bailwires H on both sides of the can are then folded over and the hook L engaged with the eye K,Whereupon a complete bail is furnished, as shown in Figs. l and 2, whereby the can can be handled conveniently and easily, with the additional advantage that the bail is provided with the centrally-located ring or loop J, through which a cord or rope maybe passed and thrown over the shoulder of the user or attached to his person or to a boatswains chair, as desired. It will be observed that the support of the can is calculated to maintain it steadily and in upright position, because the wires II I-I spread and extend to each corner, and likewise because the ring J being centrally fixed in the bail there is no possibility of the cord sliding from one side to the other of it, as frequently occurs when the bail is of the ordinary construction, and sometimes even with the cord-hails above referred to, because the cords (especially when smeared with the material) are apt to slip upon each other. The user may then ascend his ladder or go aloft it aboard ship, having no consideration for the can, because in the first place it will not tilt if it comes in contact with anything as much as the open receptacles heretofore used, and especially because he need not fear spilling its contents if it did strike anything, since the cover B, which I prefer should fit somewhat tightly, will eifectually prevent such spilling. Indeed, helnayswing the can around upon his back, so that it shall rest upon his hips or back as he ascends" the ladder or rigging, in which position it will be practically free from contact with obstacles in his. path. Having reached the place where the material is to be applied, he will temporarily support himself in a safe position, so` that he may use both hands, and then unfasten the hook L and throw the bail-wires to the right and left, when he will open the cover and then again fasten the hook L, preferably turning the exposed and probably-smeared side of the cover away from him or wiping it off with his brush or other suitable material. Thereupon he can proceed with the work, and should it be necessary for him to move any considerable distance through the rigging or to descend the rigging or ladder, before doing so he will close the cover again by manipulating the parts, substantially as above described. t

In Fig. 4 I show my invention as applied to an ordinary round can. In the case of the round can, however, it is not so convenient to attach a hinged cover, although obviously a round cover can be hinged in substantially the same manner as a square one. I prefer, however,thata slip-cover,7 so-called, should be used upon round cans.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I illustrateameans of supporting a brush on the inside of the can. A clip M is soldered or otherwise attached to the can, the free end of which is made in the form of a curved spring, as shown, behind which the handle of the brush N can be passed whereby the brush will be held in position. The clip may be located some distance down the side of the can, as shown in Fig. 3, or near its upper edge, as shown in Fig. 2. In the lattercase it has the advantage of supporting the brush with the handle projecting upwardly ont of the can, so that it may be kept free from the material; butwhen in this po'- sition the cover cannot be closed, and therefore the brush will have to be carried separately during the ascent and descent of th rigging or ladder, as the case maybe. This, however, is not a great inconvenience, because it can readily be carried in the hand and still the hand be used for the support of the person quite effectively. In the form shown in Fig. 3 I locate the brush so far down that the cover may be closed; but the brush will then be submerged in the material if the can be full. This, however, is not a serious objection, because the work of varnishing, painting, or oiling spars and rigging is necessarily an untid y occupation, and whether or not the handle of the brush is smeared with the varnish or oil is a matter of little consequence.

In the drawings hereof I illustrate a construction which I have found advantageous and inexpensive. Iwishit to be understood, however, that the illustrations showone form only in which my invention maybe employed.

Obviously it is not essential that the bail should be made of wire or that the end pieces should diverge and extend to the corners of the can. Asingle wire centrally attached or a strip of metal suitably formed or other equivalent construction may be employed,

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est@ a 'and they may be attached to the long sides instead of the short sides or ends of the can. Indeed, I do not in any respect limi't myself to the details of construction shown and described, because it is obvious that the details may be greatly departed from and yet the essentials of the invention be employed. Obviously the brush holder may be located upon the exterior of the can instead of within it; but in this event it is liable to become distorted or knocked od during the transportation of the can, and also after the brush hasv been once used its presence upon the exterior of the can will be likely to smear with varnish or paint the clothing of the user and all other objects with which it may come in contact, and the brush itself if exposed for any collsiderable time in the open air will dry up and become hard and useless, Whereas if located within the can, as illustrated in the drawings, the brush-holder is protected against injury and the brush prevented from coming in contact with other things. Also when so located the can, the brush, and contents, if desired, may all be sold together as a composite whole, in which event the buyer will have a complete outfit ready for immediate use. Also instead ot' making Ithe bail in two parts for the purpose of permitting the cover to open it may be made to a greater or less degree of flexible material, such as chain, and the same results be obtained. form.

Having described my invention, I claim--=S 1. A can provided with a sealing-plate of readily-removable material such as taggers tin, a cover outside thereof hinged tothe can and a two-part bail adapted to be removed from the path of the cover in opening and closing, for the purposes set forth.

I, however, do not approve this 2'. A can' provided with a sealing-plate of readily-removable material such as taggers tin', a cover outside thereof hinged tothe side of the can in such manner as to fold back flat against it, and a bail adapted to be removed from the path of the cover in opening and closing, for the purposes set forth.

3. A can having a taggers-tin sealing-plate,l a cover outside thereof hinged to the can and a two-part bail having a ring formed in or'attached to its central portion, for the purposes set forth.

4. A can provided with a sealing-plate of readily-removable material such as taggers tin, a cover outside thereof, and a bail formed in two part-s detachably attachahle to each other, for the purposes set forth.

5. A can provided with a sealing-plate of readily-removable material such as taggers tin, a cover outside thereof, a bail formed in two parts detachably attachable to each other, and means at the central part of the bail when its parts are in operative position to prevent slipping of the means employed to sus pend the can, for the purposes'set forth.

6. A can having a two-part bail, each part being attached at two points to the can,means to detachably connect the said parts, and

means at or near the median part of the twopart bail when in operative position to prevent slipping of the means employed to support the can, for the purposes set forth. I

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 15th day of December, 1899.

IsAAc w. DRUMMOND.

Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, EDGAR R. MEAD. 

